Capt. John Tinker

Biography

Alice Tinker had a child in the spring of 1664. She then remarried before Jan. 27, 1664/5(32) to Attorney and Scrivener, William Measure. William Measure was born about 1636(33), died on Mar. 24, 1688(34) and his Inventory, registered in Boston, MA was dated July 27, 1688. Gov.E. Andros granted Administration to his relict, Alice, on Jun. 26, 1688. George Dennison, a magistrate of Stonington, CT, was ordered to appear at the Court at Hartford as a result of performing this marriage. Frances Caulkins speculated that it was because of the "scandalous behavior of Alice Tinker"(35) but in her book Miss Caulkins says it was because Capt. Dennison had received his commission from Massachusetts Colony and Connecticut probably did not consider that he had the authority to perform the marriage. What ever the case, George Dennison had a long history of refusing to submit to Connecticut authority, and it will be noted that he refused to appear before the Connecticut Court to answer these charges against him.

William and Alice [Smith] Tinker Measure took the Tinker children and moved to Lyme, CT. soon after their marriage. William Measure's name appears frequently in Town records and it is clear that he was very active in civic affairs. At a Lyme Town meeting on Jan. 18, 1680/81 William Measure was granted the license to run "an ordinary" or an Inn. At the same meeting "Mr. Wm Measure was chosen and Agreed with to keep A Schoole and to teach Children to Read Wright and Cost Accounting According to theire Capasitys" (36).

From the NEGHS Register, vol 149.

http://www.kinshiptree.com/getperson.php?personID=I61785&tree=kinsh...

1. THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORICAL & GENEALOGICAL REGISTER Vol CXLIX Oct 1995 Whole #596. Pages 401-423.

He was a man of great enterprise & character as well as considerable management ability. His first definite appearance in the records of New England was in 1638 when in anticipation of a business trip to England, he obtained powers of attorney from several Dorchester and Boston residents who wished him to handle affairs for them in England. From correspondence of John Tinker [Mass Hist. Society] 4th Series, Vol 7 [Boston 1865] pp. 220-222. we know that his mother was in New England.

Apparently John Tinker had a strong association with immigrants from the vicinity of New Windsor. page 416-Sarah divorced Wm Barnes in Salem, MA. She died in the summer of 1648. page 417 - 2. SUFFOLK COUNTY, MASS WILLS page 97. Will of Henry Kemball of Watertown. Inventory 22 July 1648. To remaine to John Tinker, for the bringing up of the younger child; and is according to the last will of the wife of John Tinker, deceased. page 198 - Mr. George Dill, estate of Mr. Dill, Creditor: to Mr. John Tinker, charged. Page 348 - Witnessed Robert Hunt's will. page 418 - By the terms of his father's will in 1623, John was to inherit a messuage or tenement in Burnham, Burkinghamshire, following his mother's death or remarriage. In 1634, he was a legatee in the will of his uncle, Anthony Merwin, who bequeathed him 20 schillings. Sometime prior to 1638 he and his mother, the widow Mary Collins, immigrated to New England, settling first probably at Dorchester, where two of his married sisters, Mary Sension and Anne Thornton, already resided. He may have come earlier, for an undated tailor's bill, assigned by the editors to "ca. 1636" with items supplied to Gov. John Winthrop for his family and servants, includes "a payer of sliuers", "a payer of briches," and "footing a payer of stocking" for John Tinker. 3. [WINTHROP PAPERS, 3:220]. Tinker and his mother possibly sailed with John Hawthorne and William Knight, both of Berkshire, who came to New England together about 1636, settling at Salem, MA.. In December 1640, John Tinker wrote to Governor John Winthrop, Sr., from Salem saying, "All our ffrinds at Salem, thanks be to the Lord, are well". [Ibid pp 220, 274; Coll Mass His Soc. 4th Ser 7:229].

In 1638, John Tinker returned to England on business, commissioned by Governor Winthrop to look after his affairs in England. Before sailing he made arrangements with several other parties to act also as their agent in England. Thomas Lechford, a Boston attorney, kept a careful notebook of notarial records from 1638 to 1641, and several of the first entries in this account pertain to John Tinker.

Early in 1640, while in England, Tinker became a part undertaker, with a one-sixth interest, in the ship "Susan and Ellen", which was loaded principally with supplies for the Connecticut Colony, but planned to make a brief stop in Massachusetts en route. On 28 May 1640, he wrote Governor Winthrop from the Downes, telling of his disappointment in the delay of his return. By October 1640 he had returned to New England, and in December he wrote from Salem to the Governor, asking pardon for not having called upon him before sailing from Boston.

In 1640, no month or day given, Robert Keayne, a prominent merchant tailor of Boston, MA gave a letter of attorney "unto John Tinker of Windsore upon the river of Connectiot planter", to receive for him certain monies.

Upon his arrival in Connecticut, Tinker settled at Windsor, where his mother and several of his sisters resided. They were joined there by Tinker's nephew, Miles Merwin; the two may have sailed from England together on Tinker's return in 1640.

John Tinker acquired 226-acre of land with housing at Poqonnoc in Windsor on the east side of the Rivulet or Farmington River. Walter Hoyt, then of Windsor and probably John Tinker's brother-in-law, owned a 50-acre tract "opposite Tinker's farm". On 14 April 1654, then a resident of Boston, Tinker sold these premises to Edward Griswold, Thomas Holcomb and Samuel Phelps, including in the sale a "certain marsh for grass, about 14 acres, more or less betwixt two ponds".[Ibid 1:138 and 1A:129; cf ibid, 1:156 and 1A:151, where it appears that John Tinker attempted to convey this same tract earlier in 1654, to Aaron Cooke of Windsor. In the side margin of the Cooke conveyance, the two clerk wrote: "This is of no use". Henry Stiles, the Windsor historian, reported in 1863 that the marsh retained the name "Tinker's Swamp", and at that time it was owned by Daniel Buch, Jr.. Besides this property in Windsor, Tinker also owned a houselot and other lands in Wethersfield, Connecticut.

The minutes of the Connecticut General Court dated 2 March 1642/3 mention a suit between John Tinker, as assignee of Henry Webb against THOMAS MARSHFIELD [of Windsor] "to the damage of £7". On 15 November 1644, the same Court granted liberty to Richard Lyman "with John Tynker and his partners for the making of pitch and tarre". About 1648, Tinker left Windsor and moved to Boston, MA, where he married his first wife. page 420- Alice Tinker was admitted to the Boston Church 19 June 1653 and her husband on 5 February 1653/4.

On 3 May 1654, John Tinker was made a freeman of the Massachusetts Bay Colony [Pope, PIONEERS p 455]. In 1655, John Tinker, Dean Winthrop, and several other men petitioned the General Court for the establishment of the town of Groton, MA.. On 23 July 1655, the Court granted the petition and appointed Tinker to serve as one of the town selectmen for two years. Tinker seems not to have settled at Groton, however about 1655 he moved from Boston to Lancaster, where he served as town clerk and selectman. On 13 February 1656/7, three Indians acknowledged a debt to John Tinker, witnessed by John Whitcomb, Sr., and Jr., Roger Blood, Jacob Ferrer, and Tinker's brother-in-law, Richard Smith. On 13 November 1655, it was voted that "Jno Tincker should pay tenn shillings for selling now & then a gill of strong waters to ye Indians". On 19 October 1658, the General Court contracted with Mr. John Tinker for the fur trade of Lancaster and Groton. In 1658, he asked to be excused as a grand juror, and the following year, on behalf of the town of Lancaster, he requested that the town be excused from furnishing petit juror, the court being 34 miles away.

In August 1659, John Tinker moved with his family to New London, CT, where he settled on a 240-acre farm on the east side of the Thames River, on a site that is within the bounds of present-day Groton. He also had a farm in New London at the General Neck, on the west side of the Thames River, near the mouth of the harbor, which reportedly descended to his heirs. [Holman,MS page 13].

Upon his arrival in New London, to took charge of the disorganized affairs of Governor John Winthrop the younger, traveling often to Boston and Hartford. On 25 February 1659/60 he was chosen Moderator of the New London Town Meeting. Tinker served as a Deputy for New London to the General Court in 1660, and on 17 May 1660 was chosen by the Court as an Assistant [or magistrate] for New London for the ensuing year. In May 1661 he was one of a committee of three, consisting of himself as Assistant, and two Commissioners, who sat on the Bankruptcy of William Addis. In 1662, he appraised the New London estates of Robert Channell and Richard Hartley. uspition of being with childe". On March 17th following, before Obadiah Bruen and James Avery, she acknowledged "herselfe to be with child and further said it was byh Jeremiah Blinman". [Manwaring, New London County Court Records 1:20,22. The child grew up a Sarah Tinker and became the wife of Jonathan Hudson of Lyme, CT and Shelter Island, N Y.]. Jeremiah BLinman, the reputed father, was born at Gloucester, MA 20 July 1642, the son of Rev. Richard and Mary [?Thompson] Blinman of New London. Soon after these events, he went to England where his father had returned to live, and married at Westleight, Devon on 27 April 1670, Elizabeth Bartlet, daughter of Rev. W. Barlet. However, Lieut. Samuel Smith of New London supposed he was the father of Alice's child and fled to Roanoke, Virginia. page 422-Smith's wife, Rebecca, subsequently obtained a divorce and in 1669 was living as the wife of Nathaniel Bowman of Wethersfield, Connecticut.

The widow Alice Tinker married, second, at Stonington, CT shortly before 21 June 1665, [Mr] William Measure, merchant, scrivener and attorney, of Lyme, CT. On 21 June 1665, Mr. WM Measure sued Mr. James Rogers in court in an "action of debt due to his wife while she was a widdow, debt and damage to the sume of Forty pownds". On 9 May 1672, William was accepted as a freeman for the Connecticut colony and he served as a Deputy to the General Court for Lyme in 1676 and 1677.

On 16 September 1679, Mr Wm Measure appeared in court and presented an account of the estate of John Tinker. 'deceased many years since", showing assets of £149 14s 10d; since more had been paid to the creditors than the value of the whole estate, the amount was accepted "seeing none did appear to object or make further claime". On 20 November 1683, Mr Wm Measure on behalf on his wife, "administratrix to the estate of her Late husband John Tinker and the heirs of John Tinker", sued Mr. James Willett in court regarding the possessing, improving and detaining of a parcel of land "which is part of a divident of Land surveighed measured & recorded to the foresd. John Tinker". It appears this action proceeded no further as the court record says of this entry: "This action is withdrawne by the plaintiff".

On 26 June 1688, administration of the estate of Wm Measure, merchant, late of Lyme, CT was granted at Boston to his widow, Alice Measure, and stepson Amos Tinker, yeoman, both of Lyme and Timothy Thornton of Boston,shopkeeper. Thomas Clarke of Boston, pewterer, served as bondsman. Alice survived her second husband many years and died at Lyme 29 November 1714, her death recorded in a local New London diary: "Mrs Measures Amos Tinker's mother died, very aged woman of 85 years to a day". NEW ENGLAND MARRIAGES by Torrey. Page 744. 1st marriage date? between 6 June 1646 and 22 Jul 1648, after 6 Apr. Boston of Lancaster, MA. 2nd marriage in Boston or Lancaster, MA. Marriage of Samuel and Amos. page 501 - 2nd marriage of Alice Smith Tinker to Wm Measure. Page 776 - marriage of Mary Tinker to William Waller 4. DOLAR DAVIS BOOK page 17. On 25th May 1655 petitioned the General Court of Mass. Coloney for a grant of land at what is now Groton, MA. on was granted on this date among the petitioners was a Mr. John Tinker. This petition is printed in MA. Colonial Records, vol iii. 5. GENEALOGICAL REGISTER FIRST SETTLERS OF NEW ENGLAND page 288. Boston 1651, freeman 1654. Lancaster-1657 where he was town clerk. He went to "Pequid" in 1659. Willard History of Lancaster. 6. BOSTON BIRTH, BAPTISM, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. 1630-1699 pages 37, 40 [ Mary birth], 44 and 54 [John Jr. baptised 30d 7 mos 1655]. 7. SUFFOLK COUNTY, MASS WILLS page 97. Will of Henry Kemball of Watertown. Inventory 22 July 1648. To remaine to John Tinker for the bringing up of the younger child. and is according to the last will of the wife of John Tinker, deceased. page 198 - Mr. George Dill - Estate of Mr. Dill, creditor: to Mr. John Tinker, charged. page 348 - Witnessed Robert Hunt's will. 8. PIONEER FAMILIES OF CLEVELAND - Volume 1 page 337. TINKER [1828] John Tinker, occupation: Farmer, Hotel keeper and merchant. Lived in Bedford, Ohio, Cuyahoga County. He bore the Christina name of his ancestor John Tinker of Boston, MA 1635. His parents were Almerin and Leafu [Stowell] Tinker of Guilford, CT. His grandfather Nehemiah Tinker of Windham, CT was a Revolutionary soldier who married into the famous Huntington family of CT.

The family first removed from CT to Vermount and the next generation went into New York. Almerin Tinker and his family settled in Columbus, Chenango County.

John Tinker md Marilla Holt daughter of Elijah Holt and grand daughter of Jeremiah Holt both soldiers in Revolutionary. Her maternal grandfather was James Dickey who was also a veteran of the Revolutionary War. 9. JAMES STANDCLIFF BOOK pg 400. Amos and Samuel Tinker as well as Alice and Wm Measure obtained land from the Town of Lyme "by grant". It was by right of John Tinker, who must have been a proprietor of Lyme, as in later divisions of the town property, descendants of John Tinker received headrights by virtue of being descendants of John Tinker. John Tinker Jr never claimed the land in Stongington or Groton that was put in trust for him by his father, and that land was sold years later by Samuel Tinker with approval of the Court. John Tinker Jr does not appear in any record after the death of his father. 10. Catalog of the Names of the First Puritan Settlers. Pg 164 he was one of the first settlers of Wetherfield, CT among them was also a Richard Smith. BOOK NO. A, of the FIRST BOOK OF THE RECORDS of the COLONY OF CONNECTICUT. NO. 1. page 86. EARLY LAND OWNERS. Wethersfield - Owners of Lands before 1653. [See Vol 1, Lands, in Office of Secretary of State] Tinker, John. 11. Page 261-262. [need page 262]. The Lands of Master John Tinker. Upland Lott bought of Richard Smith is a Lott that Lyeth by it Selt and Lyes bounded --page 262-- [Richard Smith was his brother-in-law] 12. Page 338. JUSICES OF THE PEACE. John Tinker was given special authority to marry, May 26, 1658.

References

1. The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) Vol. 149, pp. 401ff. "The English Ancestry of the Merwin and Tinker Families of New England. Part Two: John Tinker of Boston and Lancaster, Massachusetts and Windsor and New London, Connecticut." by Douglas Richardson < AmericanAncestors >
2. https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Tinker-77
3. https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/57023642
4. Winifred Lovering Holman, "John Tinker and his family : compiled for Henry Fletcher", published 1934. New England Historic and Genealogical Society, Manuscripts Typescripts: Mss A 10232, via AmericanAncestors.org (book appears to be held in American Ancestors' library)
5. New England, The Great Migration and The Great Migration Begins, 1620-1635, page 106: Name: John Tinker; Gender: Male; Household Members: Name: John Tinker: “…on 18 October 1638, Augustine Clement made John Tinker of Boston his attorney to deal with his affairs in England.”
6. https://freepages.rootsweb.com/~rstancliff/genealogy/TinkerFam.htm

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Capt. John Tinker is our 11th great uncle.
Janet Milburn